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An LP, mistaken as a disco record, survives a house fire and lost for 73 years returns to family in California

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, December 3, 2018— On March 30, 1945, Sgt. Earl W. Garrison was with the 99th Bombardment Squadron, 9th Bomb Group en route to Japan when his crew experienced mechanical trouble. The B-29 jettisoned their mines and made it back to Tinian Island but crashed on the shore. Garrison was one of 11 crew members who were killed that day. There was only one survivor. For Sgt. Garrison, his time during WWII with the Second Air Force ended tragically leaving a mother, father, brothers, sisters, and wife Irene, distraught

However, Sgt. Garrison did leave something behind, his voice.

While deployed to the staging field at Herington Army Airfield in Herington, Kansas, Sgt. Garrison waited with his crew members for their departure on overseas assignments. During one of these waiting periods and prior to taking off for the Pacific Theater, Garrison encountered a mobile recording studio on base who recorded messages to loved ones from soldiers. He sat down and spoke into the microphone to record side “A” which opens with a greeting, “From Herington Army Airfield, we have the voice of Earl Garrison…” and then continues with a message from Earl to his mother and father. Garrison assures them he is fine and will see them soon. The flip side of the record “B” is to Irene, his wife. He tells her she has made him “the happiest man in the world” and will be home soon.

Unfortunately, Sgt. Garrison did not make it home.

Fast forward to the year 2010 when a “disco” record was given to Jerry and Jill Adlon (St. Louis, Missouri) in a box of other records from his mother. The story his mother had received the record from her mother. Jill listened to the record in 2013 and realized it wasn’t a disco record and made a an effort to try to find Garrison’s family with little success. Then in 2014, their house was destroyed by fire. Several items were saved, including the antique hifi, and stored until they rebuilt in 2016. When the hifi was moved into their new home, Jill realized that the record with Garrison’s voice was still on the turntable, undamaged by the fire.

Then in May 2018, Sara Collins, a friend of the family and a member of Footsteps Researchers, was at the Adlon’s home and listened to the record. At the first sounds of Garrison’s voice, she said her jaw dropped and knew that her team of WWII researchers should find his family. Through the nonprofit arm of the research group named LEGACY: Lost and Found, Sara found the family of Garrison in San Francisco.

What was the connection with Earl W. Garrison and how did the record end up in the Midwest? Further research by the group found that Irene Garrison moved to St. Louis after her husband’s untimely death. She remarried and worked as a nurse. It remains a mystery how the Adlon’s relatives ended up with the record in the first place.

The voice of Earl W. Garrison returns to his family 73 years later.

Two members of Footsteps Researchers, Myra Miller and Sara Collins, are flying from Missouri to present the record to Earl W. Garrison’s family on Wednesday, December 5th, at 6:30 pm in Petaluma, California at a private residence. Nieces and nephews will be present to receive the record and information about Sgt. Earl W. Garrison’s WWII service. The family has secured a record player so as to play the recording immediately upon return. The media is welcome to interview the family members and researchers after the presentation. Media must contact Myra Miller in order to acquire directions to the address.

Above: Jill Adlon with Myra Miller, Earl W. Garrison military photo

Footsteps Researchers LLC:

Myra Miller, PhD, (St. Louis, Missouri) and Sara Collins (Berryton, Kansas) are two members of the research group who worked on the return of the record. The group is typically paid to find records and reports from the National Records and Personnel Center in St. Louis in addition to creating Footsteps Research Packages and leading WWII Battlefield Tours in Europe. However, they do provide a nonprofit service called LEGACY: Lost and Found. They offer their expertise for free to help those who might have a relic from WWII with a name or initials scratched on it and try to help return the item to the rightful owners. More information can be found at www.footstepsresearchers.com.

We have an awesome team of researchers on the ground covering the European Theater of operations for WWII. If you are interested in finding the exact footsteps of a WWII veteran, we can do it! Just fill out the contact us form. We can customize your search!

Adult children of surviving WWII B24 crewmember travel to plane crash site to assist in recovery

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, March 19, 2018— On Christmas Day 1944, seven crewmembers perished after their B24 was shot down over Belgium attempting to return to their base in Hethel, England, from a bombing mission to Germany. Two crewmembers survived.

Seventy-three years have passed, and on March 23-24, 2018, Peter Ferdinand, Jr. and his sister Debbie Ferdinand Kelley will travel from the United States to Belgium to participate in the recovery of their father’s plane, King Size, 42-50612.

Peter Ferdinand, Sr. T/Sgt, was one of the two fortunate survivors of that fateful crash. Ferdinand parachuted to safety in the middle of fierce fighting during the Battle of the Bulge. He was eventually rescued by Americans and survived the experience. Ferdinand returned home to Drums, Pennsylvania, married, and had a good life raising four children.

Plane Crash Found :

In 2014, an aging landowner asked his community for help to metal-detect and locate pieces of a plane he remembered seeing crash as a young boy. It had happened on his family’s farm around Christmas time in 1944. For four years a group of Dutch and Belgian men led by Bob Konings of Grandmenil, Belgium, metal-detected on the land. They eventually located the debris field and recovered numerous small pieces which they were able to identify only as a B24. The farmer wanted to erect a memorial on his property to the crew of the plane that he had seen crash. The name of the plane and identity of the crew continued to elude the team of detectors.

Plane and Crew Identified:

In November 2017, Konings requested the help of Myra Miller, PhD, a WWII researcher living in St. Louis, Missouri, in identifying the plane and crew. With the help of Steven Volkaerts, a Flemish WWII expert, Konings identified the 42-50612 as a possible match. David Pratt, an Englishman and WWII 8th AirForce expert, found the MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) with the list of names. After narrowing the list of possible planes to three (which included the 42-50612), Miller ordered the IDPF (Individual Deceased Persons File) and OMPF (Official Military Personnel File) related to these crashes. After reviewing almost thirty files, she was able to confirm the downed plane as the King Size, B24, 42-50612 and name the nine crewmembers. Within hours, Konings and Miller located Peter Ferdinand’s son on Facebook and made the initial contact.

Henri-Chappelle Cemetery Ceremony:

On March 23, 2018, Miller will excort Ferdinand’s adult children, including his son-in-law, to Belgium. They will arrive at 1:30 pm at Henri-Chapelle American Military Ceremony near Liege, Belgium to participate in a “sanding-of-the-marker” ceremony honoring the pilot and tail gunner who died in the plane crash. MEDIA: Media are welcome to attend the ceremony at Henri-Chappelle and interview Konings, Miller, and the Ferdinands.

Plane Crash Recovery:

Twenty members of the plane crash recovery team, along with the Ferdinands, will excavate the final pieces of the B24 out of ground on Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25. During the process, a film crew will document the entire story and recovery. The team anticipates major pieces of the plane to be uncovered which will be cataloged and donated to a museum. MEDIA:The location will not be made public and only members of the media who contact Bob Konings directly will be invited to the area.

TIME SCHEDULE:

Friday, March 23 – 1:30 pm, Henri-Chapelle American Military Cemetery, “Sanding-of-the-Marker Ceremony” at the graves of 1st Lt, Raymond E. Price, pilot, and S/Sgt, Henry G. Maxham, tail gunner who died on December 25, 1944. Adult children of Peter Ferdinand will participate in the ceremony. MEDIA are very welcome.

Saturday, March 24 – Plane Crash Site, Belgium; recovery team will excavate land (approved and permitted by landowner). MEDIA: You may contact Bob Konings for specific directions to site and approval to film and interview landowner, Ferdinands, and digging team.

Sunday, March 25 – Ceremony at Site 3:00 pm, Plane Crash Site, Belgium; continued excavation with ceremony honoring the crew of King Size. MEDIA: You may contact Bob Konings for specific directions to site and approval to film and interview landowner, Ferdinands, and digging team.

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LEGACY: LOST AND FOUND is a 501(C)(3) arm of Footsteps Researchers LLC. We provide research to help identify lost WWII items and reunites the sacred relic with the veteran himself or his family at no cost to them. We also educate families, school children, and the public about the veteran's sacrifice. In addition to lost relics, we assist grave adopters around the world to preserve the deeply personal legacies of American World War II heroes for generations to come. LEGACY: Lost and Found is a Missouri non-profit 501(C)(3), EIN: 83-1240587.

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